Here We Go Again
by WolfishMoon
Summary: In 21st century Neo Verona, the Cable family and the Modarelli family have a long standing feud, and the story of Escalus has faded to legend, but Willa Farnese, possible descendant of Shakespeare himself, thinks the legend may have merit. Join Julia Cable, Ramiro Modarelli, and Willa Farnese as they uncover the past of Romeo, Juliet, and Shakespeare and their own present.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello all! Yes, I am writing another story. Kill me. I should probably get better at not neglecting my other ones, but oh well. I watched this entire anime in less than 24 hours, and suddenly I find myself obsessed with it. So here is a modernization of the story, only It takes place in Neo Verona centuries after it was set down in the world below it. Everything in the series did happen. It did. This is in the future if that same world, and the events of the past will come into this. I have a vague idea of where this is going. Wow. Now, this chapter is fairly similar to episode 1, don't fret. This isn't the same story, and they aren't the same people. Things will really start deviating starting next chapter, I think. Anyway, I don't own 'Romeo X Juliet' nor 'Romeo and Juliet', and I don't ever claim the contrary, so don't sue me. Let's get this show on the ROAD!**_

_**Remember to review. Enjoy! **_

Willa walked the streets of Neo Verona -the capitol of her island nation by the same name- running a hand through her golden hair. Willa was a name that ran in her family, the Farnese family. Willa and William. The reason for this tradition is the legend that they are descended from William Shakespeare and it was a tribute to the writer, but no one but Willa wanted to follow in his footsteps these days. Her father, William, was the only of his siblings to give the Shakespeare themed name to his first born child in his generation. The story was all but forgotten. She fell into a park bench, breathing in the crisp cool autumn air, and opened the notebook she just purchased from the nearby office supply shop, retrieving a pen from behind her ear. Soon, her loopy cursive filled the page, it was a modernization of her distant relative's epic, Romeo and Juliet, something she had tried to write numerous times, dozens of notebooks were filled with her attempts,

"Willa!" a voice called and the struggling playwright smiled.  
"Hello, Julia," she said, looking up at the black-haired girl before her. Julia looked at Willa's notebook.

"Another attempt at Romeo and Juliet?"

"Of course. My attempts are never good enough,"

"_I_ always think they're good enough."

"Well, I'm the writer and _I_ don't. That's what's important. I want to continue my many greats grandfather's legacy."

"Don't take that too seriously, Willa. None of you are even sure the legend's true,"

"Even so I have a great respect for the writer."

"Oh come on, Romeo and Juliet knew each other for exactly three days, and in that time they met, declared their everlasting love, eloped, had sex, and committed suicide for each other. And we call that the greatest love story of all time," Julia scoffed.

"Well, I have a feeling that isn't quite what happened, I think Shakespeare saw something like that in his life, and changed the story. I mean think about it. We Farnese believe he is in our ancestors, that he was a Farnese by birth, though he -as was and is custom- took his father's name. He would have been born in Neo Verona, despite what the history books say. The place where Romeo and Juliet took place was a town called Verona! It just makes sense, Cable!"

"Don't call me by my last name please! Most of my family chooses to act like wild animals. You know I don't like identifying myself with them," Julia slumped and took a seat on the bench as well, "My cousin's suspected for killing a Modarelli. Of course, we all know she did,"

"Sorry, Julia," Julia looked at Willa sadly.

"It isn't fair. Every time a Modarelli dies suspiciously, a Cable is suspected, and vice versa! Of course, the police is usually spot on," Willa put aside her notebook and enveloped her friend in her arms.

"Hey, are you sure that you aren't secretly in loooove with a Modarelli? I mean think about it, Cable, Capulet, Modarelli, Montague!" Willa winked, pulling away. Julia laughed.  
"You wish! You just want inspiration for your tragic little love story!"

"You betcha!" Willa said cheerfully, "But really, it you fall in live with anyone- but especially if it's a Modarelli- you would tell me, right? I need to know if I'm writing love correctly."

"Why don't _you _get a boyfriend if you want write love stories realistically,"

"I don't have time for a romantic partner, Julia," Julia giggled.

"Sure, just keep telling yourself that,"

Julia wrapped her sweater around her, looking back at Willa on the bench who wanted to stay to write. There was a chance that Shakespeare was a Farnese, and that Willa was right. The Farnese family was always led by a female in the early days of Neo Verona, the time of Shakespeare's youth. So Shakespeare could have easily gone unnoticed. There was a legend that Neo Verona was once a continent in the sky and that when it fell, it was because a goddess that kept it aloft was dying. The only think that kept Neo Verona from being the root of the legend of Atlantis was sacrifice of two star crossed lovers, the girl's family had been rulers on Neo Verona, who had been killed by the next ruler. She and a handful of retainers were the only survivors, but the girl came back, a vigilante known as the Red Whirlwind. And she met the boy, the son of the man who killed her family. They fell in love. He hated his father almost more than she did. In the end, his evil father was killed in a revolution led by the Red Whirlwind the day the Red Whirlwind sacrificed her self to the tree, the boy tried to save her but died himself, she held him to herself as she completed the ritual, and together they entered eternity for the sakes of the people of Neo Verona. Julia had never believed the story, but if Shakespeare was a Farnese, the legend could have been where he epic romance. Come to think of it, Shakespeare was born before the continent was discovered by explorers from Europe and hadn't really emerged as a writer till after it was. Huh. Julia tried not to think that hard about what that could mean.

"Julia! There you are! We need your help!"

"Anthony?!" She looked down at the ten year-old boy looking up at her.

"Curio and Francisco are fighting a group of Modarellis!" He held up a pile of clothes, "Go change!"

"What?! Damn it, not again!" Julia pulled a black shirt over her red one, gasping. This shirt had certain modifications to change her apparent gender. Pulling her black hair into a bun and hiding it with a black floppy hat followed by her mask. She pulled on an extra long black trench coat last, not bothering to button it. Julia and Anthony went down the streets at a run. Skidding to a halt in front of the brawling men, she squarely planted a foot in the chest of her cousins, kicking them off the three Modarelli boys that were obviously loosing. "Stop it now! I am sick of the streets being disturbed by the senseless fighting of the Cables and the Modarellis!" she made sure to lower the pitch of her voice.

"The Ebony Whirlpool!" the boys said reverently. Her heart thrummed. She loved this role. It was something even Willa knew nothing about.

"Hi," she said tersely, "If you people don't stop fighting, there will be hell to pay," It was all she said before she signaled Anthony in his gray but otherwise identical 'sidekick' costume to let lose a few smoke bombs. With that, she and Anthony disappeared into the smoke, taking the first turn, and the first turn after that.

"Hey, Cori!" she shouted as she passed her older sister, but chose not to drag her along. She knew Francisco and Curio would be chasing after her. They always did when she interrupted a fight that they were winning. Not that they knew she was their little cousin, of course. They just wanted the Ebony Whirlpool to pay. She sprung onto a roof beneath her, Neo Verona's stacked layout was confusing at times, but useful for stunts like this. She gave Anthony the signal to break off in the other direction. She raced across the roof tops. As her eyes caught on the terrain before her, she skidded to a halt just before a break in the roof of the dilapidated building. She cursed, skidding to a halt. The bricks beneath her feet began to crumble, and she fell, fell, fell.

"Grab on!" A boy shouted from above her. A dragon steed! She had never gotten the chance to ride one before. She reached up. He reached down, and missed, his hand encircling her wrist, but her overestimated the girth of her arm and it slid right through. He reached again. This time he was successful. She frowned. She shouldn't have to be saved like this. She was pulled onto the white steed.

"You okay?" she nodded.  
"I saw what you did for those people back there, I was about to intervene when you showed up." She looked at him doubtfully. The boy sighed, running a hand through red hair. They were flying through the open sky now, "Mercutio, Abram, and Balthazar aren't bad kids. Even if they can be more violent than they should,"

"Anyway, they're Modarellis. I dislike most of the people in both families, and they were involved with the fight, why should I believe your claim of them being good people?" The boy rolled his eyes. "What ever. Where do you want to be dropped off?"

"The park is fine, thank you,"

"Suit your self,"

The boy brought his dragon steed into a steep dive, landing in the center of the park. Julia slipped off the saddle, and began to walk away.

"You aren't going to thank me?"

"Why should I?"

"I saved your life, didn't I?"

"Fine then, thank you." she glared, before tromping to the out houses she knew were somewhere. She pulled off her trench coat, her top shirt, had and mask. Good enough. Her black hair flowed back into place, and she left the small bathroom after stuffing the clothing in her messenger bag.

She walked home.

"Julia where have you been?" He grandfather asked, Cori beside him. Cori and Anthony were the only people who knew she was the Ebony Whirlpool, but that didn't keep the stern look from Cori's face.

"Out with Willa,"

"Willa returned five minuets ago. She was surprised to see that you were still gone." Cori said, Grandfather Conrad nodding his support. Was that darned Cordelia _trying_ to make Conrad find her out?

"I needed some time to myself, okay!" Julia stormed to her room to find Willa and Emilio, arguing loudly.

"Willa, just finish Romeo and Juliet! You have refused to write another of your own plays for the year you've been working on this one! It isn't fair! I need to act!"

"Keep this up and when I do finish this, I'll find someone else to play Romeo, Emilio!" Emilio left the room in a huff.

"What are you doing in my room?"

"Waiting for you, obviously." Julia put her messenger bag on the floor, "You aren't going to unpack it?"

"No,"

"Look, Francisco and Curio came home complaining of how their fight was broken up by the Ebony Whirlpool. I know it's you Julia." Julia froze for a moment before responding.

"Why are you always so cannily perceptive of my every action?"

"Because, Julia. You're the ideal heroine. The Juliet in all of my attempts are based off of you, you know,"

"What?!"

"Your family is in a blood feud with another, you dislike that fact and prefer not to give out you last name if you can help it to avoid confrontation from those who have grudges against either the Cables or the Modarellis if you can help it." Willa paused, "Have you noticed that so many people in both the Cable and the Modarelli families have names from Romeo and Juliet. Even you, Julia. A name so close to Juliet. Why else do you think I asked to live here? Your family inspires my creativity."

"That is the creepiest thing you have ever said to me, Willa," Willa shrugged.

"Its true,"

A few minuets later, Emilio came into the room again in a tux.

"Willa, Julia what do you say to crashing the Modarelli family party this fine evening?"

"What?" Julia asked.

"It's a masquerade. No one will notice. I'm even bringing toilet paper so we can T.P. it on the way out!"

"I'm not a part of this feud! I am but a humble spectator!" Willa exclaimed.

"Even so! Both of you get dressed!"

"If we go, Emilio, will you promise not to T.P the estate?"

"Not T.P. the estate?!"

"Oh come on, Emilio, you can find another way to humiliate them. Through your words. You're a brilliant actor. I'm sure you'll think of something!" Julia said,

"Fine," Emilio relented.

"I'll go too," Willa said, warranting a smile from Emilio and Julia.

It took Julia and Willa another fifteen minuets to pull on dresses, Willa in fitted yellow

and Julia in loose black. The three of them piled into a car, smiling at each other. This was going to be fun. And better yet, no one would see the Cable beneath the masks. They slipped into the building. And Julia was in momentary awe of the roses. They were everywhere, permeating the air with their scent. Pop music blared from speakers and teenagers were dancing in tightly packed clusters. It was little better than jumping up and down. Emilio dove into the pack, joining the dancing. Willa laughed at him.

"Want anything to drink, Julia? I'll go get it,"

"Maybe a sprite?" She asked.

"Sure," Willa said, smiling wider. Julia didn't want to guess what was going through her head. She saw the boy from earlier dancing, making small circles around the room, a blond girl in his arms. She looked exhilarated, he looked bored. Down trodden, even. Julia saw him make an excuse to his partner, and exit the floor. Suddenly Julia felt unbearably warm. She removed her mask and used it as a fan, she couldn't leave and let Willa stay here alone, so she stayed seated, fanning herself vigorously.

Ramiro couldn't stand being with the smitten Hermione a moment longer and excused himself, making his way to the tables. They were all occupied, so he steered himself to the emptiest one, only one girl was seated there, she had removed her mask, he saw, and was using it as a fan. She was a vision in black, her dress smoothly cut, not quite cinched at the waist, and billowing out again till her knees, where it stopped. She paused to play with one of the flowers in the vase. The people in charge of set up must have made a mistake for there was a single iris among the flowers, and it was that one the girl pulled out. Ramiro felt his jaw open and close. As he drew closer, the sent of irises washed over him. It couldn't be the scent of that one flower alone that overpowered the countless roses. Soon, he realized that it was emanating from the girl herself.

The girl looked up, blue eyes wide and Ramiro's heart skipped a beat.

"The scent of irises..." he whispered, though he knew she heard him anyway. Louder, he said.

"Those blossoms, to they please you?" A blush spread across the girl cheeks, and she stuttered.

"W-well, yes,"

"As well they should," Ramiro began, "What I mean to say is what is your name?"

"My-my name? My name is-"

"Ramiro! Your father wants to see you!" In those moments the girl fled, leaving Ramiro wondering.

Willa's eyes glittered. Ha! She knew something like this would happen if she was patient enough. Now. How to put what she just saw to words? She sped after Julia who was evidently dead set on running home. HA!

_**Word count: 2626, not counting my opening note or the words 'word count' I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written for fanfiction! Awesome! Well, I hope you enjoyed and please review. Everyone loves praise, and most people (including me) love gentle criticism. I am no different. My swelled head needs to remain swelled for me to write properly. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two is up! I wrote this on my iPod so sorry if the formatting sucks. Anyway I don't own Romeo and Juliet nor Romeo x Juliet, so no suing please. Review! I beg of you! **

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Willa was in the makeshift theater in the basement, staring at the stage. She looked down at her blank page. She had hoped that seeing Julia with a Modarelli would give her the inspiration she needed, but all it had done for her was make her realize how pitiful her previous attempts at writing a modern Romeo and Juliet were. Opening the lid of her desk, she grabbed the top notebook and flipped to the first page of the story written there. Her previous attempt. Everything in it seemed forced, contrived now. Willa slumped in her seat and looked to the stage again, trying to picture the story unfold. She couldn't. There was nothing materializing in her mind's eye. Absolutely nothing.

Ramiro was in his room, thinking of the dark haired girl he had seen the night before. Who was she? Who? The startled look on her face was imprinted on the back side of his eyelids, there every time he closed his eyes. Hermione was getting worried about him. Even had soup sent up. Ridiculous. The only sick he felt was due to... God knows what. He stared at the oppressive red walls. They seemed to be closing in on him and it was suddenly hard to breathe. He stood, now glad to have gotten dressed earlier even though at the time all he had wanted to do is curl up on his bed and die with frustration. Ramiro strode from his room swiftly reaching the place where Cielo was kept. Now in the open air, he felt better. And soon he was astride the magnificent dragon steed, wind blowing across his face. He determined that it was with this animal in the skies that he felt the most at home.

After a while Ramiro returned Cielo to his stall. Benny wanted to spend some time with him, without the ryuba's almost constant company, "What do you think love is?" he asked after a moment of walking in companionable silence.

"Why this, all of a sudden?"

"Just tell me what you think, Benvolio!" Benny raised an eyebrow,

"Jeez, no need to say the whole damn thing, Ray," Benny's expression turned thoughtful, "I don't know," he paused, thinking for a moment more, "Maybe love an affection so strong that nothing could separate you and the object of your affections?"

"Even death?"

"Maybe,"

"Like Romeo and Juliet," Ramiro said sadly, again wondering at the identity of the girl from before.

"Don't even mention that stupid play. That wasn't love, just idiocy and a rebound crush. Worst thing I ever had to read for school," Benvolio groaned and stuck out his toung at the memory. Distractedly, Ramiro nodded.

"Willa?" Julia stood in the door way of her friend's theater, leaning on the door frame watching pen scribble on paper and page after page crumple and fly into the garbage.

"Yes, Julia?"

"What do you think love is?"

The playwright looked at her, eyebrow raised,"Really! What do you think?" Julia asked pleadingly, thinking of the red haired Ramiro.

"I don't really know," Willa said, "Well, maybe," she revised, "maybe it's when you have such a deep connection with a person that when you see them for the first time, even for just a moment, you know that you would give up everything to be with that person, but wouldn't want that person to have to give up anything to be with you- but don't take that too seriously it may just be the sentimental writer coming out," Willa hastily added. Julia nodded her thanks, running up the stairs, every intention of settling down for an nice long chat with Cori. Cori wasn't in the kitchen as she usually was. Just her annoying- yet helpfully lovable little brother rummaging through the fridge for some type of snack.

"Hey Anthony," Julia said, ruffling his hair.

"'Ello" he responded through a mouthful of chips.

"Do you know where Cori is?" she asked

"Cori? Um I think she and Grandpa are out grocery shopping,"

"At this hour?" Usually Cordelia did that stuff around 1 p.m. it was 11a.m. "yup, they said that they'd be gone all day, my guess is that they're buying a bit more than groceries," I sighed

"You're probably right,"

"Hey, wanna..." Anthony gave a pointed smile.

"Go kick some ass?" Julia finished.

"Yeah!" Anthony brightly exclaimed

Julia smiled widely, nose and eye creases crinkling.

Julia threw on her Ebony Whirlpool costume, linking hands hands with her little brother, in his gray version of the same. It was times like this that she felt most alive. The two sped out of the house, laughing. Patrol was the best. It was unexpected things that pissed her off. The two lay in wait, knowing it was only a matter of time before a fight broke out. They didn't have to wait all that long.

Before they rounded five corners, they happened upon Paris and Ty beating the shit out of two boys. Undoubtably Modarellis. Julia wielded a fierce kick to her cousins, ducking behind their fists. It was a biological fact that men had stronger upper bodies and women stronger lower bodies. Julia wasn't so strong that she seemed like a body builder on steroids either. Kicking was the only way she could really gather enough force to tip the scale into her favor.

"Back off, Cable," she fiercely whispered to Paris. Removing a knife from her boot. She watched his eyes widen in surprise. He backed off. Ty, however, was another story.

"Damn Ebony Whirlpool! I'm tired of you being in my way!" Julia didn't remove her eyes from the revolver he pulled from his belt as she signaled Anthony to release his bombs. As the air blackened with smoke, she picked up the Modarelli boys. After running about a block, she felt Anthony grab the hand of one of them Julia smiled at him gratefully. Soon after that, her charge broke out of his shock. She could feel his weight leave her arm as his feet began to hold their own, running beside her. Anthony looked at her, silently questioning their escape route. She signaled with her free hand which path to take. Anthony nodded, and the two took a sharp turn down an alley. They passed their home and she nodded to Willa out side of it, who smirked tilting her hat and joining the run

"How are you today Whirlpool? Another close escape?"

"Well, it's not like you ever take part, Willa, so how would you know?"

"I know you, J-"

"Don't say it!" Julia frantically cut off, jerking her heat at the Montague on her other side

"Ah," Willa was silent for a moment, "Then why the hell did you call me by my first name?!"

"Just shut up," Julia said trying to keep up her fast pace. Willa's chatter was hardly helping that endeavor.

"Fiiiine," she said before clamping her mouth shut

After making sure that Paris and Ty were gone, she stopped, Anthony falling into place beside her.

"You, okay, Toni?"

"Yeah Jay, I'm fine,"

"And you, Willa?"

"Yup!" Julia turned the Modarelli boy who's wrist was still clamped by her hand,

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," now that she saw who it was, Julia's heart all but stopped, "I see that it was you who saved me, this time," Ramiro stated,

"Yeah well it's nothing personal. We, "she gestured to herself and Anthony, "feel as though it's our duty to break up those stupid fights,"

"So you belong to one of the two families?" The blond said, ignoring his inquiry Julia flipped the question,

"And you are?"

"Benvolio Modarelli, but call me Benny,"

"As in the character from Romeo and Juliet?" Willa asked eagerly,

"Don't even, I hate that stupid play!" Benny fumed

"How dare you! My relative's play is fantastic!" Willa's face momentarily that of an angry cat. Antonio's shoulders shook with laughter- he hadn't read the play, but he'd heard enough ranting from Willa to wholly agree with Benvolio's statement.

"And you are?" Benvolio glared at her, "A Farnese, perhaps?"

"Yes, Benvolio," she said, pointedly emphasizing his name.

"You were in my Freshman English class, weren't you?" Ramiro cut in,

"What of it?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"Still trying to write a modernization of Romeo and Juliet?" Willa gave a short, angry nod of confirmation.

"I don't even remember your name, what was it, again?" Willa asked flippantly

"Ramiro Modarelli," Willa's eyes widened perceptibly. She looked to Julia and back to the red-haired boy.

"YES!" She fisted the air, wide eyes shining, "I knew this would happen!"

"Huh?" Anthony asked, eyes wide and worried

"Willa..." Julia said warningly.

"Whirlpool!" Willa screeched, "Ahahaha!" she took off running,

"Willa, where are you going?!"

"I'll be in my theater house!"

"What?!"

"You'll find me writing!" Julia hid her face in her hands at Willa's happy response.

"Dammit,"

"Weirdo," Anthony scowled.

"What?" Ramiro asked

"Knowing her," Julia jerked her head in the direction Willa took off in, "we just gave her a butt load of ideas,"

"Why? Isn't she working on Romeo and Juliet? How would my name have helped her?" Ramiro tilted his head in confusion.

"Don't ask, all you need to know is that she never knows when to stop. Anything for her stupid play," she kept her voice as uncaring as possible, but her heart raced away in her chest nonetheless, "I-I have to go," she grabbed Anthony and took off running, taking the long way home to ensure that she wouldn't be followed straight to the Cable family home.

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**No idea what the word count is, sorry. REVEIW! Please! And thanks to the ten people who viewed. No reviews as of yet, so please. I think now would be a good to point out that I have fooled around with families in this. So it goes as follows: Cori (Cordelia), Anthony (Antonio) and Julia (Juliet) are all siblings. Ty (Tybalt) and Paris (who is Juliet's suitor in the play but not in the manga and anime at all)**

**Mercutio, Benny (Benvolio), and Ramiro (Romeo) are all cousins, through their fathers. Also, I switched the appearances of Romeo and Juliet from the anime to be my Ramiro and Julia. Ramiro has reddish brown hair and brown eyes, Julia has black hair blue eyes. I hope you would have gotten that by now, but just making sure. Also making sure that everyone knows that it was deliberate. Anyway REVEIW. Otherwise I may have trouble pumping out chapter 3. So if you want more, REVEIW! **


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello! Here is chapter 3 of Here We Go Again! Anyway, I don't own Romeo x Juliet nor Romeo and Juliet, nor do I ever claim the contrary. So, please don't sue, but if you read, please **__**do**____**review! I would love to hear your feedback! So, enjoy!**_

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"Willa I am going to kill you!" Julia raged into the makeshift theater. Willa was sitting on the stage, legs dangling off of the edge. She was twirling a pen in her fingers, looking at the notebook in her lap. She was deep in thought.

"Why are you going to kill me, Jay?" she asked. It would have sounded taunting but Willa didn't even bother looking up from her paper, her reactions were obviously on auto pilot and the words had no real bite to them.

"Because... because... you damn well know why, Willa!"

"Do I?" She asked, putting her pen to paper and scrawling a few more lines.

"Well, yes! Why wouldn't you?!"

"Why?"

"Damn it Willa! Snap out of your stupid trance and look at me!" That worked, and Willa looked up.

"Oh... OH! Sorry! Writing mode. You know how I get," Willa said, frantically trying to appease her friend.

"Yes I do know how you get, Willa, but that's not why I'm yelling." Willa's eyes grew wide.

"Oh shi-"

"What the hell was that display today?!"

"What can I say? You inspire me!"

"Willa..." Julia groaned.

"I saw that look you gave him, Julie! I saw it! I saw it! I saw it!"

"Willa..."

"I knew this would happen if I was patient enough!"

"Willa..."

"I mean even your names! It's perfect!"

"SHUT UP!" Julia screeched, as angry as a bag of wet cats.

"Sorry..." Willa said, shrinking into herself.

"I would really like it if you wouldn't compare me to a tragic love story,"

"But Romeo and Juliet is soooo romantic! Who wouldn't want to be a part of it?"

"Anyone with a brain, Willa. What happens to the main characters in the end?"

"They... die..." Willa gulped, realizing just how horrible her wish was. If Julia and Ramiro... she couldn't think about the consequences if that ever transferred to reality. She nearly had an emotional break down watching West Side Story because she was so attached to the characters. If the story happened now in Neo Verona... Willa would be screwed, "Julie... I'm so sorry..."

"Exactly. I don't want to end up a tragic heroine." Julia said grumpily, "I'm gonna go to my room, Willa. Please, don't push me towards him. I don't want to be in love with anyone right now. Especially not with the likes of him,"

"So you do? Love him, I mean" Julia looked at Willa and turned away, not answering the question. To Willa, it was all the response she needed. "Damn it,"

"Who do you think the Ebony Whirlpool is, Benny?"

"No idea, Ray," Ramiro sat down.

"He seems so... familiar."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Benny put a hand on his cousin's shoulder, 'Why does it have to be this way, Ben?"

"I don't know. But it is what it is. I know I'm ready for the end of this pointless war, and I know you are too, Roy, but nobody else is. Hell, even Hermione enjoys it. Did you see her fight that one time?" Ramiro nodded.

'Well, how do you suggest we stop it, Benny?"

"We can't. The cards will fall where they may, there's nothing we can do about it?"

"That's bullshit and you know it, Benvolio,"

"Yeah well, that doesn't change the fact that I'm just as clueless as you are," Benny shrugged, "Why do you even care?"

"I don't know,"

"I'm getting worried, Ray. You've been acting strangely since that dance your parents hosted. Did something happen?" Ramiro didn't answer. It was all the response Benny needed, "So something did happen,"

"...yeah,"

"What was it?"

"Well, I met this... girl..."

"It's always a god damn girl," Benny antagonized, "Women are the bane of the existence of man, I mean think about Circe and Calypso and all the other evil temptresses since the dawn of fiction,"

"That stuff is considered fiction for a reason, Benny. You know, you actually interrupted my conversation with her,"

"Did I? Oops,"

"Yeah." Ramiro scowled. Realization dawned in Benny's eyes.

"You mean that black haired chick?"

"The one and the same,"

"That was one hot dame, sorry man," Benny said apologetically.

"Do you have any idea who she was? She was so oddly familiar..."

"Sorry. I have no information to give you. Zero, zip, zilch, goose eggs," Benny sighed, "I wonder who she was myself. I don't think I've ever seen her around. Maybe you saw her in passing in the halls at school?"

"But I think I would have noticed her then, as opposed to now," Ramiro said, Benny shrugged.

"Maybe she was home schooled or something, and this is just some sort of strange deja-vu.

"Maybe," Ramiro said, holding up his head with his hands and propping himself up with his elbows, "Who knows?"

"Well, I don't. And no offense, but I don't really care. Good luck, Coz,"

"Thanks,"

"Well, you need it," Benny replied. Ramiro glared before sighing.

"Yeah, I do,"

Julia was in her room, sprawled on her bed and looking at the ceiling when Cori came in, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah,"

"Anthony doesn't seem to think so. He sent me up to find you,"

"Traitor,"Julia muttered

"What happened?" the older of the two sisters asked.

"Nothing worth the breath, Cori"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah,"

"Tell me the truth, Julia,"

"Willa's just being an idiot. But I'm not really mad," Julia decided that a half truth wouldn't hurt anything.

"Ah, battles with friends are always difficult, but are you sure that there's nothing else?"

"Yeah, she just made me think about something I didn't really want to think about,"

"Okay, would you like me to bring up something for you to eat?"

"No. I'm fine,"

"Okay," Cori began to walk from the room when Julia spoke again.

"Hey, do you know where I can find wild irises?"

"Why irises?"

"It's nothing. Someone just said that I smell like irises. I tell myself I hate him, that I'll never see him again, but still I crave irises."

"So you're thinking of someone other than Willa?"

"Shut up,"

"Well, here. I'll tell you."

"Thank you Delia, you're a true friend, the best sister a girl could have!" Julia smiled and Cordelia laughed.

"Just have fun. Let me write down the directions for you, where do you keep your paper and pens?" Julia pointed to her neatly kept desk and grinned for the first time since she had gotten home that day.

Cielo jerked into a steep dive and after a moment of fear, Ramiro whooped.

"Why have you taken me here, silly?" Ramiro asked after Cielo landed, looking to the giant tree, surrounded by white iris blossoms.

Cielo nickered and plunged his head into the grasses, coming back up with a mouthful of the white blossoms. Ramiro laughed, "Well, it certainly is beautiful here," He sat down and leaned his back on the rough bark of the tree.

Julia made her way to the large tree, breathing in the delicious sent of irises. Too beautiful. She knew this place. A small bronze plaque was nailed to the tree's rough bark. '_According to local legend, this tree contains the spirits of two star-crossed lovers who died to save their people,' _She brushed the plate with her fingers. And knelt down. This field had only irises, a few rose bushes were on the outskirts of the field, though. She picked a flower, and put her face to it, making her way to the other side of the tree. She didn't want to look at that damn plaque anymore than she had to.

Ramiro saw her before she saw him, "Hello!"

"Oh, uh, hi," the girl said, eyes widening with shock, "You're Ramiro,"

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"I, uh, heard your friend say it when he called you away,"

"Um. I'm at a disadvantage. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are. Please, tell me what is your name?"

"Julia!" The girl with the black hair turned to the voice of a small boy,"

"Anthony!" She exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to find you! Cori said you went on an iris hunt, I wanted to join you!"

"Oh,"

"Who's your friend?"

"Um, his name's Ramiro," Anthony smiled and stuck out his hand.

"Hi! I'm Anthony!"

"Hello Anthony," Ramiro chuckled and shook the boy's outstretched hand before looking at Julia, "This your little brother?"

"Yeah," she said, "and he shouldn't be following his big sister like a baby duck. Why don't you follow Cori for a change?"

"But Cori's boring. You're more like a second brother that a sister, so you're more fun,"

"Thanks for pointing out my masculinity, you little rat,"

"Welcome!'

"Not what I meant." Julia glared as Anthony laughed. Ramiro soon joined in and after a moment, Julia began to laugh too.

Later, when Julia and Anthony were walking home, Anthony decided to be serious for a change, "That was the Modarelli boy we helped today,"

"What of it?"

"You like him. Don't bother denying it, I can tell,"

"Anthony, you wouldn't get it,"

"Wouldn't I?"

"You aren't old enough,"  
"I'm ten, sis and I know you. I'm also plenty old enough to know that you can't pursue a relationship with someone from that family,"

"You think I don't know that?!"

"I think you're trying to forget that. You promised him that you'd meet him there again tomorrow," Anthony said.

"You're talking like grandpa Conrad. Just shut up,"

"Promise me that you won't go see him again,"

"Anthony, I can't do that," Julia sighed.

"Julia, please," Anthony got in front of his older sister and glared, big brown eyes on fire, "you can't,"

"Don't tell me what to do, Anthony. We'll see if I go see him again. I don't know yet myself," With that, she pushed past him, peaceful mood forgotten.

* * *

_**Word Count: 1,766 not counting beginning A/N or the words word and count. Please, review! Also, you know how I said that Willa freaked out when watching West Side Story? That happened to me. I had to turn it off when Anita decided to tell Tony that Maria was dead. Never did finish watching it. But that's how emotionally involved I am with the characters of 'Romeo and Juliet' sad I know. Anyway, special thanks to Scarstorm2000 for being my first reviewer, and GirlOfTheForestGreen for reviewing as well. Also thank you to GirlOfTheForestGreen alerting and princessKatAngela for both alerting and favoriting. Also, thank you to the 17 people who read chapter 2. And to everyone, please REVIEW! I need a properly swelled head to write anything at all!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey, um... sorry for the long wait, my mom's going in for another surgery Jan. 8th, so that makes two surgeries in only a few weeks over a year, in a combination of being lazy, indulging in myself, and helping my mom I haven't had much time. To much for a kid to do!__But, my mom's problems aside, I must admit that much of the reason for the late update is my own laziness. Anyway, I typed the chapter on my iPod, but I transferred it to my computer for formatting and editing, so hopefully it'll be a bit easier to read, this time. You have no idea how shocked I was to see that I had thirteen reviews, I haven't even checked on this story since I last posted, but I was checking on something else on New Year's Eve when I noticed that this had __thirteen__ reviews, so I read them, squealed, and promtly busied my self showing my dad and the rest of my step-family (I was staying with him for the holiday). Thank you, all. Best New Year's surprise EVER. So I figured, I'd best get back to work, so here you are! _

_Disclaimer: I don't own Romeo x Juliet by Gonzo and translated by Funimation, nor Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare nor do I ever claim the contrary. _

* * *

Willa was rereading Romeo and Juliet, again. She found herself wondering at the words, the people, the story. At the same time her mind wandered to the star-crossed lovers from Neo Verona's legends. Then she thought about Julia. After a moment of packing, she found herself running to the Legend-Tree.

Once she arrived, She ran her fingers across the bronze plaque nailed to the tree, and she took in the sent of irises. Beautiful. The sent of roses, too, infiltrated her senses from the thorn filled bushes that were so few and far between. She cracked open the journal she had taken from the Farnese record room. Some of these things dated back to before Neo Verona fell from the sky. If her calculations were right, if Neo Verona did fall from the sky, this would be the one that would contain decisive information.

To her surprise, there seemed to be decent documentation of the event, from a mind that had obviously just went through it. The writing was shaken, fearful. Worried. She looked at the name: William Farnese. Of course, the one Farnese name that was so common it was impossible to track. She returned to the journal and flipped back a few entries. Her eyes widened. Her eyes lighted on the few words that were not too faded to read. Capulet, regaining, throne, Montague, tyrant. WHAT?! Willa strained to see the words between the bursts of legible writing. Finding nothing else, she snapped the old handwritten book shut and shoved it in her backpack.

Mind in overdrive, Willa Farnese stumbled home to her little theater house wondering what the hell she just read and if it was some kind of sick joke. She called in Emilio and slid the notebook on top of her desk. The William Farnese who kept the journal had an assistant/actress named Emilia. Willa chuckled and turned to Emilio Cable, almost tempted to stuff him in a dress. She refrained and instead showed him the leather bound book.

Emilio flipped to the last entry, and nearly dropped the precious volume in his surprise, "Have you seen this?!" He asked, and Willa shook her head. Emilio handed the notebook to her, and pointed to the passage, this time it was Willa's turn to be in shock, and she actually did drop the notebook.

Julia, meanwhile, was in her room. Her head was aching, and there was a confused heaviness in her chest. What was wrong with her? Anthony sat next to her.  
"Look. I'm sorry," he said in a small voice.  
"No, you're right. He'd hate me if he knew who I was," Anthony shrugged.  
"It wasn't my place to tell you if you could go see him. You were right, I did sound like Conrad. Would you like to?"  
"No. It wouldn't feel right," it was that moment that Willa Farnese chose to barge into the room clutching a battered old leather bound notebook and a spiral notebook of her own.  
"LOOK! Look, look!" she pointed to the last page of the open journal. Black ink declared in neatly penned letters on the crumbling page, _" 'I need to do this, write their story. Romeo and Juliet deserve to be immortalized, but mom won't have a Farnese being a more serious playwright than I have been in the past, so I'll take my father's name. Shakespeare. I guess I'll leave this journal to be read, for those people in the future who wish to know the truth, because my play will be greatly romanticized, it has to be. This is end, my leather bound friend,__  
__William Farnese Shakespeare,'"_ Willa's voice grew more and more excited as she read on.  
Julia nearly choked on her spit.  
"So you were right," the dark haired Cable said, voice betraying astonishment.  
"Yeah," Willa said, sounding equally surprised.  
"Well, spit it out! What happened to the real Romeo and Juliet?!"  
"I don't know,"  
"What do you mean you don't know?! It should be in the journal, just read it!"  
"It doesn't say! Most of the events are written cryptically, plus a good deal of the ink is too faded to read, or pages are missing, some pages are missing pieces! This thing is hundreds of years old!" Willa and Julia stared at each other, breath coming somewhat harder than usual, and Anthony looked between them.  
"Okay, what is going on?"  
"Romeo and Juliet were real, and Neo Verona fell from the sky. That's the only thing that William Farnese Shakespeare's journal is clear on," Anthony's round brown eyes widened. Julia ran a hand in front of his face."You okay, Tony? Your eyes look like tennis balls," Anthony blinked and nodded.  
"Surprised, is all,"  
"Me too," she took in a breath, "Are you sure, Willa?" Willa nodded.  
"That was the only thing the journal was clear on, probably because Shakespeare was too freaked out to be poetically cryptic,"  
"Quite clear?" Julia questioned, volume quieting and pitch rising.  
"Quite clear. Here, I marked the page," Willa began to recite "'_The ground shook, and pieces of the land began to fall away. We were falling. All of Neo Verona was falling. None of us had even known that we were floating above the Earth. We thought that we were Earth. We are safe in the water of an unknown sea now, but Romeo and Juliet's demise puts a damper on everything- especially knowing that it was they (though mostly Juliet) who saved us all. It does sadden Benvolio and Cordelia's newlywed-_,' here it gets difficult to read, ink's faded and the paper's a bit wrinkled," Silence descended upon the room and, after a few minuets, Willa was the first to break it, "Okay. It just sunk in. William Shakespeare was a Farnese," Willa let out a long high pitched squeal, "Yes!" she exulted. Julia forced a weak smile, "Now will you be my tragic heroine and visit Romeo today?"

"His name is Ramiro. Not Romeo," Julia scowled.

"So you will?"

"No. I won't,"

"Can _I _go tell him that?"

"No,"

"Damn it," After a moment of silence, Willa spoke a again, "I'm gonna go make photocopies of this journal so I don't handle the real thing too much. I keep on thinking it's gonna turn to dust in my hand,"

Ramiro was in the field of irises, waiting. Where was she? Why wasn't she here? A few minuets later, Willa Farnese appeared, clutching a red pocket folder to her chest.

"Julia isn't coming," she said irritatedly, "Being stubborn, as usual,"

"You're friends with Julia?"

"Yeah," Willa scoffed, "Unfortunately. She's my best friend,"

"Unfortunately?" Ramiro laughed, "Why unfortunately?"

"Julia's just... Julia. She loves to be difficult, and point blank refuses to be my muse. Honestly, half of my writer's block comes directly from that girl!"

"Why?"

"Never you mind. Anyway, she told me not to come and tell you, but, if she refuses to be my tragic heroine, I figured I'd better tell the guy I had pegged to be my tragic hero,"

"What?!"

"It doesn't really matter. I'll return to my own plays as opposed to trying and updating old ones. Emilio would like that. Bye. Maybe Julia'll come around," Willa gave a bitter laugh, "But I don't envy you. That's for sure. Here, photocopies of a journal I found among the old Farnese records. I thought you should read it," Ramiro fell to his knees as Willa dropped the red folder at his feet and walked away.

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_Word Count:1253 _

_I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Whether you did or not, I would appreciate it if you told be what you thought. So don't be shy and don't be as incredibly lazy as I am, and REVIEW! ;) _


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